So the Kansas Jayhawks 2010 football season has come to a close, and to the minds of most associated with the program � be it coaches, fans or players � that's probably not a bad thing.
Which isn't to say that every single member of Jayhawk Nation wouldn't have loved to see their 'Hawks in a bowl game. Kansas fans have developed a taste for the post-season, and to not participate for the second year in a row definitely leaves a sour taste in their collective mouth.
However, this season has been an emotional roller-coaster ride from the start. From the lows of a season-opening lost to FCS opponent North Dakota State and a string of three straight blowout losses to open conference play, to the highs of upsetting a ranked Georgia Tech squad and coming back from 28 down to defeat Colorado, this program went through a lot in 2010.
Now, at least, Head Coach Turner Gill and his staff can begin to move forward.
Looking relaxed and confident Friday afternoon at his season-ending press conference, Gill spoke to fans in terms of absolutes. There was no "I think" to his rhetoric. Instead, it was all about "I know."
"I know we're going to be faster," he said. "I know we're going to be more athletic. I already know that and see that just because, the guys that are coming back, they're more experienced. They understand what they need to do and how they need to do it."
Of course, a boost to personnel doesn't hurt either, and Gill pointed out a few newcomers and returnees to the program that should provide a shot in the arm to the team's athleticism and speed right off the bat.
The most obvious example is probably that of outside linebacker Huldon Tharp. A native of Mulvane, Kan., the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Tharp is a prototypical outside 'backer in today's spread-happy Big 12.� Fast enough to cover slot receivers or tight ends and physical enough to make an impact in the run game, he started a number of games as a freshman and was expected to explode in 2010, before a pre-season foot injury sidelined him without ever taking a snap.
Also returning will be freshman safety Keeston Terry. One of the more pleasant surprises this season, Terry made a major impact in the Jayhawks' win over Georgia Tech, before injuring a knee in the third quarter a week later during Kansas' first road tilt of the season in Hattiesburg, Miss. Likely to receive a medical hardship redshirt for 2010, it's probably safe to go ahead an pencil him into a starting spot in 2011. His combination of size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and speed is rare at the position, and his defensive instincts appear to be top notch.
Aside from the injuries, Gill said there are several redshirts who will make an immediate impact as well. Everyone knows about running back Brandon Bourbon, who is expected to slice off some of freshman star James Sims' carries next season, and provide the Jayhawks with a formidable one-two punch in the backfield.
However, Gill singled out three largely unknown names as players to watch, beginning with tight end Jimmay Mundine.
"He has what you're looking for," Gill said. "Explosiveness, he can make plays down the field, he can make plays on the short pass, he can make people miss and go the distance."
In addition to the freshman tight end from Texas, Kansas fans should watch closely for a pair of Buffalo sophomore transfers � fullback Nick Sizemore and linebacker Darius Willis.
Gill wants to move to a more traditional two-back set at times, and the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Sizemore gives the Jayhawks a stout-yet-athletic option at the position. He'll also be expected to be a big contributor on special teams.
Willis, meanwhile, will bolster a depleted Kansas linebacking corps immediately. At 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, the Houston native started two games for Buffalo as a true freshman in 2009 before suffering a season-ending injury in the fourth game of the season.
While Willis' talents on the field may be prolific, what he brings to the locker room could be even more important. In a post-season survey of the team conducted by Gill, about 80-percent of them mentioned Willis as one they saw being a strong leader in the off-season.
"That was kind of an eye-opening thing that this guy was on the scout team this past season, and our guys have already spoken about him as a leader," Gill explained.
And then there's recruiting. As of Monday, 20 prep athletes have committed to Kansas in the 2011 recruiting class, and though the staff is far from done the new additions look to address most of the team's most glaring needs.
Two recruits have already signed letters of intent and will enroll at the University of Kansas in January, making them eligible for spring football practices � Overland Park (KS) Blue Valley West lineman Dylan Admire, and Blue Springs (MO) running back Darrian Miller.
"He's strong, he's athletic and he's explosive," Gill said, of Admire. "That's a word I've used here toward the end of the year. I want to make sure we'r emore explosive, so all the players we bring in need to have some explosive movement. Doesn't necessarily mean they have to be fast, but we need guys to have a suddenness, a burst, be able to explode into contact. Dylan Admire fits that."
Kansas fans know who Miller is, of course. Originally the first player to commit to Gill and the Jayhawks in the 2011 class, the standout running back chose to open up his recruitment a few weeks later, before ultimately coming back to the Jayhawks in late October.
Miller � the 2009 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, the career rushing yardage record holder in big-class Missouri prep football � is an explosive, dynamic athlete in the mold Gill covets.
"Whenever the ball is in his hands, he's able to take it to the end zone on any given play," the Kansas head coach explained. "We're extremely excited about him, even more excited because he's going to be here in January."
So yes, Kansas fans, there is reason to be optimistic that things will be better in 2011. The coaches and returning players have already moved on from 2010, with recruiting and off-season workouts underway.
It's okay for Jayhawk Nation to do the same.
